Process of generating electricity.



PATIINTEII AUG. 1I, 1903.

I. E. REID. PIIoGBss 0I IEIIEIIAIIIIG ELECTRICITY.

APFLIUATIOH'IILBD HAY 17, 1902.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H0 MODEL4 'III .YY W/ u AITOHNEY No. 736,016. PATENTED A111111, 1903.

PROCESS. 0F GENBRATING ELECTRICITY.

Y 1121102.11011 FILED MAY 17, 1902. Y No 11011111.. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W/ TNE SSE S l/V VEN 70H Uff/med /TReI/C ,01s. PATENTE) AUG. 11, 1903..

J. H. mam.v PROCESS o? GBNERAHNG ELEGTMUITY.

APPLOATIOH FILED MAY 17, 1902.

` 4 SHEETS-SHEET Ho Mmmm.

@SHEETS-SHEET 4.

l PATENTED AUG. 11, 1903. J. E. REU), PROGBSS 0F GBNERATING ELECTRICITY.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 17, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

rre. rettore.

.le lili REL), UF

Patented .August lifQS.

SEECIFECATXGN forming part of Lettere late'm No. 736,016, lated August il, i903.

.To all whom, it may omwerfi:

Be it known thet JAMES H. REID, a resirient of Eastrange, in the county of Essex anti State of New Jersey, have invented e certain new amil improved Prooess oi Generating rlleeirioity, of Whiohthe following is a full, Cloer, and exaot speoioation.-A

lfjiy invention relates to the generation of eleotrieity direct from fuel-gas; ami the presont invention is in the art or prooess.

The objeot of my invention ie to develop eleetrio energy trom gas suoli as ordinarily iise lfol-eoo1h ration, but by means of a slower oxilietion than is caused by combustion as l noe.` understand the method of developing euch eeergy.

The invention eonsiste 'in eerleio steps or en'oprooeeses by which. the procese of Geveloplng electricity ie carried out. The meehnsecl to convey the gases and eeoure the development oi' electricity by this prooees is believed to be new in. whole or impart, but ie not hereifi oleiolee, ae the requirements of the Patent Oiioe gelede earch claims.

v The proeees or method may be carried ont with Very ffliifererlt mechanisms.

For oooveoonee of desoripiioo l. will {ieseriloe the mechanism illustratori auil the veirione steps oonetit g the elettori or proess ,so .i :im to siete them.

l oi an ator in which my pro .ese may t. Fig. is plain View there oroseeeotion the porous tube onaniber oonetitnting an eleotroile. lig.

.fortieal section of a moiiiel. form of originaire. i U el ie a top r plan View of the generator allg. Fig. Aie a vertioal eotion illostraoat, a inoifleatioo of the gem era-tor whereie a plurality of porous 'tubes r chambers are employed es eleotroiies ir. a single body of oleotrzllyte.' Fig. G is a simi l r section. illestrating on :z.1`:;. fiaratns in which the products of eoinbuetioii are used as the feel-gases. Fig. '7 ie a Vertical `section of an apparatus arleptell for the use of previouslypiiriietl li'ig. 8 isayertieelseetion of a large generator ooupled to a. gas-retort.

ln carrying ont my invention withA the mechanism of l'iig. l l employ a vessel 2, wiiioli ie a oonrinotor of electricity end may be a metal pot.

-peroolates through the porous walls, whieh This vessel ooetains a quae- Application filed l?, 1902. Serial No, 107,742. (No specimens.)

tity of material 3 which is an electrolyte, and this electrolyte is maintained in e. liquid form by the application of heat. The eleotrolyter which l prefer to enfploy ie en alkaline solution, snob hydrate of sodium or hydratev of potassium, and this in my process ie niain-k tained liiquid at a temperature of something like Q00 Fehreoheit, although results may be obtained at any temperature known to me whereby the eleetrolyte is kept in liquid forni. i tube or chamber Il, composed of porous carbon, extends into the electrolyte omi forms an electrode. This tube or chamber 4 is elosed at the top .and is euoported by inenletingbrackets 9, so se to be ont of Contact or elec trieal eoneeotion with the pot 2. i metallic pipe 4 serves for theiotroduoton oi a fuel-gas io'to ihie porous-carbon chamber. The ges l here success-fully used is common city gas, Wbieh is rioh in oarbon; but l nave reason to believe that other fuel-gases may be employed. Conneoted with the gas-supply tube 4 ie e binding-post there is a binding-post S. These bindiogposts roey be considered the opposite poles or points of oonneotion to the battery or cell, the oheinberi being positive and the pot 2 of negative polarity. .The chamber 4c ie eo insulated that the gassnpply pipe does not serve ae a means 'to short oirouit tbe electric current. A tube 5 seivee for the introduo tioo of nir or oxygen into the electrolyte, and air moy be lforced through seid' tube to near the bottom of the eleetrolyte,`whenoe in rising the air or oxygen permeates the eleetro lyte anrl is brought in contact with the outer surface oi the tube, chamber, or electrode 4. A burner 6 underpot2 serves as e means for eppiying heat to the vessel containing the eleotrolyie.

When a fuel-gas is forced-into the porouscerboo chamber e, it is believed the same ore permeable to a gas, but not to a liquid.

Theoarbou and hydrogen of the gas are be lievoil to o nite with the oxygen irl the oleo trolyte or in the porous-Carbon Wall. A plo' deletion or development of electricity follows :rmi 4will continue as the gas is supplied to one side of the porous-emboli partition or wall and oxygen to the other eidemtbat is, to the electrolyte,

7', and connected to the 'pot 2l 75 snchcharacteras, to permtit-the'passage of rio Yao

'agas through the pores, but will not permit the passage 'ofja liquid, especially a liquid -`oft' the character employed as an electrolyte.-

As shownfin Eig. 1 the pot 2 is open at the `to'p. This permits the escape of anygasesY :which may be thr own off from the'surface o1A the electrolyte. t My theory of the Vmode of operation is that thecarbon and'hydrogen of the fuel-gas com-, bine With" oxygen ofthe electrolyte eitheu` within the poresofthe porous carbon or within the electrolyte. `/V'hether this be true ornot,

itis certain thatthe operation of the appaf `ratus when used as described is to develop4 clectric energy whichjinay beI utilized as from any other battery, the battoryconnee.

tions being made at? 8, as stated.

The electrolyte would probably be expelled from the iporous: tube' by' gas-pressure even should it. pen`etratethe porous y material, which it should not-do nu ditions.

. ln the form of contain the electrolyte 11, and the electrolyte 11 contains a conductor 10, to which'electrical connection can be made.. The wallsof the pot' the poroue pot are iuclosel by s. cylinder 15 of 1 ryng the bindinglpost 10.

any suitable material, and if a conductor of electricity the same is insulated from. the pot'v 'l2 by insulating-bushings 18. The fuel-gas is introduced into chamber through a4 pipe 17./v The conductorlo is'prefefrably composed of a num ber of turns of perforated ,sheet metal, which are fastened in the head'l4, cer- 12'nis ythe binding-post of theV porous-carbon pot 12. vThe head 14 is insulated from the said 'carbon pot` byinsulatingblocks 14', and 'the lower part of the collector l0 is held in place byineula- 'tot' 14 from the burner'', In this example; as in the preceding,-a fuel-gas is fed under pressure toene side ol the porous wall or parti tion 12, and an electrolyte charged or supplied with oxygen is applied tothe other side of said wall. The operation and development of electricity areas before described. porous-carbon conductor will inv each 'case 'be positively chargedwith electricity, while the metallic conductor in directrconract with the electrolyte will be negatively charged.`

The generator of Fig. 1 may be extended, as showninFig. 5.

20 is located ina brick oven 27, and Iirecl1a1n ber 28- is utilized-to heat the pot and contents.v The pot contains an electrolyte li), and the gases are introduced through carbonltubes 21, which depend from the plate A chain ber i'abovo this plato is supplied wthgas 0f combustion from alire.

der ordinary congen eratorill nstratd in Figs. 3 jand4 the porous-carbon pot l2fis constructed to ,which insulator is perforated to allow Vcirculation of the electrolyte'. 1 The electrolyte. is maintained iu liquid form by heat-, as"

The

In lthis case the iron pot essere {through a pipo 2m Air is supplied t the orgy willbe developed attheperts 20 eni'dV4 26. The vapors and gases which'arise from theel'ectrol'yte are preferably conducted from the pot through a pipe 30 and toa condenser Shoud the gases may thence be conveyed `to the furnace 28 by .pipe 81. `4 w The generators herein before described have dealt with prepared fuel-gas. A generator may. be made to utilize the'guseous products Such a generator' Iils illustrated in Fig. 6, in which ligure lthe '.numeral'BQ denotesa furnace in which n. coking-re 33 is maintaiued. A pot 34,01? porous, carbon, is suspended above the lire. The damper 33'is 4usually closedv after the lire is started; trolyte 35, which rises above the levelol` the Vtroducedto the electrolyte through pipe 44.

from plate 37 audextend intUtheelectrOIyte. Plate 37 is sep rated fromthe part 34 by-suitable insulation-38.` 1 l 1' vThe pressure of gas inthe furnace is suili cient to induce the entrance thereof int-o peres "of the. porous-carbon' pot; but tol increase vthe energy is derived, I preferitaI genera'torof the-type` illustratedat FigJi-, in` which 4dr-epfrom the material 47. The retort is placed above furnace 45. The combustion-chamber 49 extends below the series of" porous'tubes and metallic conductors The conductors and lower ends, theinsulat-orsbeinggconteredf in the bottoms ot the tubes or'pots 54 and in top ber 157. i

Gas-from the retort/1G dischargesthrongh n incioses pots o r tubes 53. 51 denotes the bottouuand 52 the top, of this chamber. 1 The porous partition serves tozeqfualiz'e the pressure of gas in chamber 5G.v i

. shown by circuit 59 andcouuections 5S,

use, I may employ such a mechanism as is shown in Fig. 8.. InI this constrnction a fur nacechamber `(SQ'surrounds the bottoms of the porous tubes or pots.

serresto shut ol't ofreces4 ol istat;

space iid `between -tlie turnaround chamber inverted-tube portions ofthe pot.`V -Air is inlsuch pressured place a 11001142 above the' perforated'plate il?, and by connecting a vacu-g nin-pump at '43 thegaspressureagainst-the outside of 'thecarbon pot may be' increased.' When it is' desired to generate electricity7 in immediate'proximity tothe' fuel from which;-

resents a coal-gas v'retortfor? distilling gases, y

or pots 53, `which tubes contain electrolyte 55 54 are .held .by insulators 56st their uppert Where it vis convenient to employ"illumi-` nating or fuel gas instead of gas retorted for-z 21 -which arts are se Jarate'd by insulation i Q P l The carbon pot 34 contains the elec- Iron or similar metallic elements' 36 depend i .IIC

perouspartition 48 int'o the chamber 50,whioli me Y A series arrangementof the generators is Agris-chalutier 60 surf j rounds the bodies'of these tnbes, and an nir` pressue of only a few ounces, I prefer to in,-

'reacts Each tube 61 contains the iiuid electrolyte 62, and a conductor 63, preferably a perforated metal pipe resting on insulator 63', extends through the electrolyte. rlhe conductors 63 all communicate with air-pipefl, which extends from blower 64'. i

64 is an insulating-coupling in pipe 64.

65 indicates a supplyfpipe for the electrolyte and extends to each porous'tube or pot, so that a fresh supply of the liquideleetrolyte may ,be supplied by pump from vut 67.

As the gas from a city-main usually has a crease uch pressure by means of a compressor 68, by which gas is forced `under pressure into chamber GQthrough pipe 60". l i

In order to save any Waste gas and to dispose of iucombustible gases, I may place a'- hood 7l over the porous tubes-or pote and exhaust the gas theeiom through pipe 72" and blower or pump'flf! ,so as to discharge into furnace 69.

The generators of Eig. 8 are connected.4 in' multiple, the porous tubes or pots being all combined to conductbr 74,while the other side of the circuit is connected byfpipe 64 to con-l ductor 75. This arrangement'iives'a large A of minute subdivision invccntact with or in electrical current o t' low voltage.

From the above it will be understood that many changes may be made in the mechanism by which my method is carrieckout. A y

The porous-carbon wall, partition, tube, or electrode which I use at the present time is a carbon manufactured in the electrical fur nace and is a merchantable article known to the trade. At the temperature at which it is used in my generator it will endure indefinitely. After a continuous use of twenty-one days I had microscopic examination made and no deterioration was perceptible..

The electrolyte 'vhich I employ can also be used indelinitely. Water isad-ded to the alkaline solution from time to time; but no considerable deterioration ofv the alkali was observable in the above test.

I am unable to give the exact amount of gas consumed foreach electrical unitdeveloped, but am convinced that the quantity of gas fuel consumed is not greater than would be required for developing a similai-` amount of energy usdera steani-boiler`aud transforming the energy into electricity by means of an engine and dynamo.` In my opinion I use very much less fuel than isrequired in the usual process of electrical development.`

What I claim is- 1. The process or method of converting the potential energy of gaseous fuel vinto electrical energy, which consists in conducting a fuel-gas into a porous receptacle perviousto 'gas'but impervious lto liquid, maintaining a heated liquid electrolyte at the opposite tace of said receptacle, supplying oxygen to the heated electrolyte, and providing conductors for the developed electricity from the porous receptacle and from the liquid electrolyte.

2. The process or method oi converting tlie potential energy of gaseous fuel that consists in diffusing gaseous fuel in or through 'the pores of an electric conductor, supplying oxygen to oxidize the gaseous fuel therein, providing a suitable path or exhaust for the products of oxidation, vand in connection therewith providing a collector for the electric current. A 3.- 'lhe processor method of converting the potential energy of gaseous fuel that consists in diffusing the gaseous fuel in a porous electric conductor, maintaining said conductor in surface contact with an oxygenhearing fluid oflower conductivity than said conductor, maintaining the oxygembearing iiuid at a higher temperature than the incoming gas, and providing an external circuit from said conductor and through esidiuid, substantially as described.

l. The process or method'of converting the potential energy ol gaseous fuel, that consists in restricting or restraining" the oxidation of gaseous fuel by imposing; thereon limitations site faces of said electric conductor, and pro- 95 viding a suitable electric circuit, substantially as described.

5. The process or method of converting the potential-energy of gaseous fuel, that consists in diffusingy gaseousfuel continuously in the roo pores of an electric conductor, continuously supplying oxygen thereto through the m'edium of a fluid electrolyte, and discharging theproducts of oxidation into and from said duid by 'gravity displacement, substantially m5- as described.

6. The process or method of converting the Apotential 'energy of gaseous fuel that consists in didusing gaseous fuel'iu a porous electric conductor froniyone side thereof, maintainxro' in'g'a liuid of electrolyte upon the other side of said conductor and therefrom supplying l oxygen for the oxidation ot saidfuel, main-3- taining the temperatures of said conductor-"'-' and-the fluid below the temperature'of rapid 1.15

oxidation, 'and uneunalvfith reference to each other, and providingecternal electricalcollectors, substantially as described.`

In testimony whereof i have hereunto set.

my hand, in the presence of two witnesses, izo

this 10th day of May, i902. y

- o Janus u enero.v In presence of--f I Guo. W. ANGLE, JonN il. Munson. 

